High-scoring Wolfpack winger named to Ireland's Rugby League World Cup squad

Toronto Wolfpack winger Liam Kay has been named to Ireland's team for the Rugby League World Cup.

Kay led the Kingstone Press League 1 with 25 tries this season, helping the first-year Wolfpack to a 20-1-1 record and promotion to the second-tier Championship.

Wolfpack winger Ryan Burroughs and back-rower Joe Eichner, one of the players to emerge out of Toronto's pre-season tryouts, are in the U.S. squad. Prop Ashton Sims, who is joining the Wolfpack next season from England's Warrington Wolves, is part of the Fiji team.

More Toronto players could be named to tournament squads next week. Wales and Scotland are set to name their rosters on Tuesday with forwards Jake Emmitt and Dan Fleming eligible for Wales and Ryan Brierley for Scotland.

A late-season hand injury suffering playing for the Wolfpack may hold Brierley back, however.

There are 14 men's and six women's teams playing in the Rugby League World Cup, which runs Oct. 27 to Dec. 2 in 13 cities across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

First held in 1954, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup is the 15th edition of the tournament. Defending champion Australia has lifted the trophy 10 times. Great Britain has won three times (1954, '69, '72) and New Zealand once (2008).

The women's World Cup has been held four times since 2000 with New Zealand winning three times before Australia prevailed in 2013.

The women’s World Cup will take place in Australia with games at Cronulla leading up to the final as part of a double-header with the men's finale in Brisbane.

Canada, Australia, the Cook Islands, England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will contest the women's event.

Canada and the U.S. are co-hosting the World Cup in 2025. England is host in 2021.

The Wolfpack, rugby's first transatlantic team, will play in the second-tier Championship next year.